


Wizards Should Relax Sometimes (By Kissing)

by clockworkfall



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Pining, Shadowgast, listen its some gays in a library, please just ignore how out of character they probably are, post ep 117
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:21:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27854146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clockworkfall/pseuds/clockworkfall
Summary: The Mighty Nein arrived in Vurmas and very quickly pulled Essek into Caleb's tower, where he is now trying very hard to relax in the library. But a certain handsome transfiguration wizard there is just a touch distracting.And the whole situation is not helped by the fact that Essek's hair has gotten longer than he would like with how busy he's been lately.
Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 2
Kudos: 157





	Wizards Should Relax Sometimes (By Kissing)

**Author's Note:**

> listen i just have Thoughts about how much Essek takes care of himself and worries about his appearance and i think peak intimacy is having your crush fix your hair for you

The library of Caleb’s tower was quiet. The rest of the Nein was elsewhere, relaxing for the few hours respite they had.

They had only just gotten to the Vurmas outpost, but it had not taken much of Jester’s convincing to find Essek and pull him into the tower. And it took far fewer words from Essek to keep anyone out of the room Caleb had set up in.

It felt somehow far away. Only an hour or two ago Essek had been staring down inane piles of paperwork, which granted he had done to himself by gently suggesting he required some time away from Rosohna in order to conduct research in peace and de-stress from uneasy peace, but it was almost worth it just for the sight of the Mighty Nein again. 

Almost. 

It was worth it though, to see Caleb again. 

Even if it made a pit yawn open in his gut every time he thought about Caleb and what the other wizard thought of him, he was ever the sight for sore eyes. Especially eyes sore from paperwork.

It had taken an almost embarrassing amount of self-restraint to not leap from his desk and rush over to him, but thankfully Jester had reached Essek before he could have done anything, sweeping him into a surprisingly strong hug.

And upon entering the tower he couldn’t help but be struck by the beauty. All of it so stunning, a reflection of what he had always seen behind Caleb’s eyes. 

But now it was just him and Caleb in the library. Caleb had apologized for any lack of reading material, as it was only what he had memorized, but it was astonishing nonetheless. It is impressive enough how accomplished Caleb is in the world of the arcane, it is even more so knowing how much information he has continued to retain outside of it. It made Essek’s heart swell in the way only sharing joy can.

But for now, he was simply reading a book, curled in a chair, with Caleb in a similar position in the chair beside him. In all truth he was not paying particular attention to the book. It was fascinating, of course, it was all transfiguration theory, but as a graviturgist he was far more fascinated by the very close and very pretty transfiguration wizard.

Of course he wasn’t staring, but it was hard not to glance sideways at Caleb, eyes roving between him and the book. There would not have been a problem with this had Essek not been entirely preoccupied with far too much on his plate and not had enough time to maintain himself and by doing so make sure his hair was how he liked it and it had grown far too long in his personal opinion—

“Do you want something to tie your hair back, Essek? I— it looks, in a way, like your hair is getting long enough to interrupt your reading.” Essek started at the sound of Caleb’s voice, low and cautious in his offer. “Forgive me if I sound rude, it is simply an observation.”

“I—” His voice seemed to dry up in his throat as he tried to think of a reason to say no other than the fact that Caleb even having noticed his appearance made his heart pound uncomfortably loud in his ears. “Yes, I suppose you are right, and I would certainly not mind it. Something to pull my hair back, that is, although I don’t know if it is long enough to be able to be tied like yours is.” And he was rambling and mentioning that he had also noticed the appearance of his companion. Perhaps he was as stressed as he had pretended to be to get out of Rosohna.

Caleb gave a small smile, exhaling slightly as he set his book to the side and pulled a piece of cord out of his coat before turning again to Essek. “Do you mind?” Essek blinked, furrowing his brow at the question. “It will probably be easier if I do it for you if it being too short is a concern.”

“Ah,” Essek hoped desperately that the heat he felt rushing to his face was not as visible as it felt. “No, I don’t mind at all, here—” He set his own book down and sat up. “Is this better?”

Caleb nodded, standing and moving over to Essek. He stood for a moment, looking down at him, something unfamiliar in his gaze. “Perhaps— Could you look down slightly?” His voice was gentle, the way it sounded when he was figuring something out, turning it in his mind.

“Of course.” Essek bent his head, and almost went into shock from the feeling of the other wizard’s hands in his hair. For as rough as they had looked they were gentle, carefully pulling his hair into place.

The space between them is so small in the quiet moment as Essek desperately hoped that no one else would walk in and, in a much smaller and hidden part of his heart, that Caleb was not simply doing this as an aid to a friend. That would be— unfortunate. He tried not to audibly sigh at the possibility, instead focusing again on the warm sensation of Caleb’s hands in his hair.

“Could you look up for me, please? I want to make sure I got everything.” Again, that gentle voice of Caleb’s making his heart swell in his chest as he carefully tilted his head back up to look at Caleb.

The world seemed, for a moment, almost to freeze as if under the influence of magic rather than simply Essek being frozen by Caleb’s gaze, his lips parting slightly despite all intention.

Essek almost surprised himself when he broke the silence.

“Can I kiss you?’

Caleb blinked, red rising in his cheeks as look away before again meeting Essek’s eyes. 

“Yes.”


End file.
